PRESS RELEASE
June 22, 1995
Portable oes-analyser brings
lab-performance to on-site operation

A truly portable alloy analyser based on optical emission spectroscopy (oes) has been developed by the Finnish company Metorex International Oy. Designated arc-met 930, the new instrument is believed to be the world’s smallest oes-analyser having a weight of only 14.5 kilograms.
According to the manufacturer, the small size of the analyser has been achieved with no compromise in analytical performance.

The predecessor of ARC-MET 930, introduced in 1991, represented a radical departure from the conventional design of optical emission analysers. Instead of using photomultiplier tubes, which limit analysis to preselected elements, the new instruments use a 2048-element photodiode array detector to measure the entire spectrum from 178 up to 340 nm. This eliminates the need for changing expensive hardware when analytical requirements change. The result is greater analytical flexibility and no interruption in the use of the analyser.
The ARC-MET 930 comprises a central unit and a probe, which is connected to the console by a cable thus allowing the user ample freedom to move around while measuring.


The console has an electroluminescent display which contains all software menus. The user moves through the menus and selects operating modes with special function keys. Analytical results are shown on the display either with normal or large fonts. In addition to the display on the console, the probe has its own lcd display. This means that the user does not have to be near the console or return to it to obtain results. The most frequently used operations can also be achieved with function keys located around the probe display. Various language versions for the user interface are available.
In the new analyser, all optics are located inside the probe. This was made possible through advances in diode array detector technology, i.e. one detector is capable of measuring the whole spectrum from 178 to 340 nm. With this design there is no need to transmit the analytical signal from the probe to the central unit through the fibre optic link in the cable. As a result, the probe cable sustains much rougher handling than in the conventional approach.
The analyser is designed for operation in demanding environments, it is splash-proof, and sustains major variations in temperature and humidity.
An example of the analyser’s precision: The arc-met 930 offers positive identification of steel grades based on 0.02 % difference in carbon concentration. Carbon analysis can be made with a precision of 0.001 % at 0.04 % carbon.
S&P models of the analyser are equipped with optional hardware for measuring sulphur (S) and phosphorus (P). For example, steel qualities that differ only in their P or S content can be clearly separated using the same emission lines as with stationary instruments.
Metorex International is a new company jointly established by the former management of Outokumpu Instruments and Sitra, the Finnish State R&D fund. The company which has acquired the most significant parts of Outokumpu Instruments, forecasts net sales of FIM 100 million and has some 160 employees in Finland and in subsidiaries in Germany, France and the USA.
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Caption:
The new optical emission analyser from Finnish Metorex International is believed to be the world’s smallest of its kind and truly portable, having a weight of only 14.5 kilograms. The manufacturer claims that the analyser brings laboratory performance to the production environment.
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For further information, please contact:

Metorex International Oy
Mr. K. Kantonen
P.O.Box 85
FIN-02201 ESPOO, Finland
Tel. +358 0 421 451, Fax. +358 0 421 3271